EDUCATION.
In 1810 about 50 children
attended three schools; one was run by the
parish clerk, the others were dame schools. (fn. 23) A
Sunday school was started, at the rector's
expense, in 1817. (fn. 24) In 1829, when the school was
united with the National Society, 50 children
attended out of the 120 between the ages of 7
and 13 in need of education; there was no schoolroom. In 1835 the rector held a day school in
the rectory twice a week for 73 pupils. (fn. 25) In 1846
there were 39 pupils and the school was paid for
by subscription. (fn. 26) By deed of gift dated 1858,
John Round of Brighton and John Round, his
son, gave ½ a. of land on Bergholt common for
a school, which was built by public subscription. (fn. 27) In 1871 there were 78 children on the
roll. (fn. 28) A new classroom was added in 1874 and
by 1881 there were places for 169 children. (fn. 29)
The school was enlarged in 1901 when the
British school closed, and again in 1906, to
accommodate 230. (fn. 30) In 1943 it was reclassified
for juniors and infants only, 44 senior pupils
being transferred to Stanway Council school.
The school was granted Controlled status in
1947, and was renamed the Heathland Church
of England Primary school. (fn. 31) The building was
further extended in 1964 and 1969. (fn. 32)
In 1818 there were two small private day
schools in the parish (fn. 33) one of which may have
survived in 1833 when five were listed, three of
them run by nonconformists. A Wesleyan
Methodist school opened in 1822 had 13 pupils
in 1833 (fn. 34) and in 1851 the associated Sunday
school had c. 50 pupils. (fn. 35) A Primitive Methodist
day school, apparently started c. 1851, had
closed before 1857. (fn. 36) By 1874 a British school
for 58 children had opened in the rebuilt
Primitive Methodist chapel. It received annual
government grants and was enlarged to hold 134
in 1881, (fn. 37) but closed for lack of funds in 1901.
The building survived in 1995. (fn. 38)
A private school with 46 children, opened in
1825, may have been the boarding academy run
by J. W. Harrington in 1848, and the school at
Grays on Lexden Road in 1854; it was last
recorded with 32 pupils in 1857. (fn. 39) By 1871 there
were three private schools with no religious
connexion. (fn. 40)
Footnotes
| 23 |
Lamb. Pal. Libr., Randolph papers 9. |
| 24 |
C. K. Douglas, 1858-1958: a brief history of West Bergholt Heathlands C. of E. primary school (1958): copy in E.C.L. Colch. |
| 25 |
Nat. Soc. files. |
| 26 |
Nat. Soc. Inquiry 1846-7. |
| 27 |
Nat. Soc. file; White's Dir. Essex (1863), 128; E.R.O., D/DMa T4. |
| 28 |
Returns Relating to Elem. Educ. H.C. 201, p. 446 (1871), lv. |
| 29 |
P.R.O., ED 21/5420; Rep. of Educ. Cttee. of Council, 1880-81 [C.2948-1], p. 580, H.C. (1881), xxxii. |
| 30 |
P.R.O., ED 21/5420; Return of Non-Provided Schs. H.C. 178, p. 498 (1906), lxxxvii. |
| 31 |
E.R.O., T/P 375/5. |
| 32 |
Ibid. C/ME 39, 41, 58, 63. |
| 33 |
Educ. of Poor Digest, 247. |
| 34 |
Educ. Enq. Abstract, 266. |
| 35 |
Nat. Soc. files; P.R.O., H.O. 129/8/205. |
| 36 |
E.C.S. 15 May 1857. |
| 37 |
Rep. of Educ. Cttee. of Council 1873-4 [C.1019-1], p. 322, H.C. (1874), xviii; ibid. 1880-1 [C. 2948-1], p. 580, H.C. (1881), xxxii. |
| 38 |
P.R.O., ED 21/5420. |
| 39 |
Educ. Enq. Abstract, 266; White's Dir. Essex (1848), 116; E.C.S. 12 June 1857; P.R.O., HO 107/1782; 128/8/205. |
| 40 |
Returns Relating to Elem. Educ. 446. |